Exploits of a Blonde Ryodan
by the simple mind
Summary: Due to unexpected events, Kurapica is now one of the members of Geneiryodan, the notorious group of killers that he despises with all his soul. What happens when he finds himself at the mercy of the female members of the Spiders?(Chapter 2 is up!)
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer : I do not own Hunter x Hunter or it's characters

Author's Note: I would like to thank lynlyn for granting me permission to write this fic which was inspired by her masterpiece, "Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken". My sincerest gratitude to you lyn. To the readers, this is my first ever attempt to write a fan fic. I am most definitely not as talented as some of the writers here. I hope you guys will appreciate my valiant efforts in writing a good fan fic. Comments, suggestions, criticisms (be gentle though ) are welcome.

Summary : Due to unexpected events, Kurapica was now a member of the Geneiryodan, the notorious group of villains he despises with all his soul. What happens when he finds himself at the mercy of the female members of the Spiders?

CHAPTER 1

It was already nightfall when the members of the Geneiryodan finally arrived at their hideout, a dilapidated old building that was once a hotel, located just a couple of blocks away from the heart of York Shin City. They have just come from yet another successful heist, and in their possession were loads of valuable treasures, including a much-coveted pair of red eyes from the Kuruta clan.

This lifted Kurapica's spirits a bit. Normally, he would be in one of his somber moods, but today was clearly an exception. Even though he would always feel a certain amount of discomfort and guilt whenever their group would pull off one of their thieving stunts, he was nevertheless comforted by the fact that little by little, he was getting closer to his goal : which was to get back all of the pair of red eyes of his slain tribemates.

_It won't be long before I'll have in my possession all of the eyes of my clan_, Kurapica assuringly said to himself as they stepped inside what used to be the lobby of the old hotel. The room was fairly dark and almost bare, with only a few scattered pieces of furniture. The only area that was clearly visible was the one beside the window, where the faint moonlight managed to filter its way through the tattered curtains that hung from it. He turned to see Pakunoda light the candles that were already scattered all over the room, and soon the lobby became well lit save for a few shadowy corners.

Kuroro, the leader of the Geneiryodan, walked towards the middle of the room where an old lumpy sofa was located. With his back towards the couch, he ignored the urge to sit down and remained standing. As he crossed his arms over his chest, he mentally noted that it would take a day or two before their group can disperse. It takes that long for the buyers to wire the payment to their bank accounts in exchange for the goods. In the meantime, they were all going to hang around in their lair and endure each other's company just a bit longer. His gaze then went in the direction of the other Ryodan members. His handsome face was expressionless as he watched them one by one fall into their usual routines.

He saw Bonorenofu slip into the shadows at the far end of the room. The mummy-like specter whose voice can seldom be heard usually lingered there unless summoned by Kuroro. Feitan, Franklin, Korutopi and Sphinx have gone to one corner and engaged themselves in what seemed like a serious conversation. Nobunaga, whose back was propped up against a wall, was just a few feet away from them. With a piece of cloth in his hand, he has started cleaning his samurai sword, which apparently was covered with a few drops of blood that came from some unfortunate being who got in his way earlier this evening. Beside him was Sharnock, who was on the ground with his legs tucked underneath him. A slim white laptop was in front of him, and Kuroro could hear the soft clicking of the keys as Sharnock's fingers flew all over the keyboard of the computer.

Machi, Pakunoda and Shizuku were seated in their makeshift dining room area. As for Hisoka, who was busy playing with his cards, he was as usual all by his lonesome self. He sat on the steps of the grand staircase which leads to the rooms of the building. Occasional soft laughs were heard from the bluish gray -haired jester, but the rest of the Geneiryodan only ignored him. They have long ago ceased analyzing the reason behind those strange laughs and giggles. Everyone just formed the immediate conclusion that Hisoka was just simply nuts. Kururo shook his head in disapproval as he saw Hisoka's shoulders once again tremble with silent mirth.

When his eyes, which were as dark as midnight fell upon Kurapica, they suddenly lit with interest. He watched the young blonde man head for his usual spot, which was by the window. A wooden chair and table were beside it. They would always find him seated there, and he would either be reading a book or simply just staring outside at the empty lot beside the building. Kuroro noticed that the usual frown on Kurapica's face was absent. He knew that the scarlet eyes that they have recovered was the reason behind it.

While he stared at him, Kuroro was suddenly reminded of the first time he laid his eyes on Kurapica. When he finally came face to face with the person who killed Ubogin, he was astonished when he saw that their enemy, who seemed hell-bent on wiping all of the Spiders out, was an arresting seventeen-year-old young man with silky blond hair and huge beautiful green eyes. He immediately asked himself how was it possible for someone who could look so frail and angelic be capable of defeating a man like Ubogin, who was considered to be the strongest among the Geneiryodan. It seemed that there was more to Kurapica than meets the eye. He couldn't help but be fascinated with him.

As soon as Kurapica reluctantly joined their group, Kuroro didn't waste any time and immediately exposed him to their line of work. From then on, Kurapica actively participated in their criminal activities.

It was a thrill for Kuroro to watch Kurapica in action. Even the rest of the Geneiryodan had to admit that seeing the chain guy fight was indeed quite a sight to behold. Kurapica's potential was one of the main things that drew Kuroro to him. Of course, it also didn't hurt that the chain guy was very pleasing to look at, and he has always been an admirer of beauty in all of its forms. Kurapica's abilities was the reason he gave to the other members of the Spiders when they asked why he forced the chain guy to join their group. He of course explained that it was in their best interests to do so and Kurapica becoming one of them was simply an opportunity that they couldn't possibly afford to pass up.

As time went by, it was getting clearer and clearer to all of them that the young man was growing stronger and stronger, partly because of Kuroro's training, and also due to Kurapica's own efforts to strengthen his own Nen. Kuroro can only hope that soon, the chain guy will finally feel resigned to his fate and accept that once and for all he now belonged to the Geneiryodan. He knew though that the odds of that happening were very slim, considering the fact that the Spiders were the ones who were responsible for the slaughter of Kurapica's tribe and therefore the object of his immeasurable hatred.

As Kurapica stared out the window, he again suddenly felt the urge to leave and flee the building, but in as much as he wanted to, he simply couldn't do so without jeopardizing his own life. His thoughts shifted to the recent events that turned his life upside down.

Until now, he still found it hard to believe that he, the last of the Kuruta tribe was now a member of the Geneiryodan. The reason for this unexpected turn of events was Gon and Killua.

It was most unfortunate for him when the Spiders captured the two young boys. All of a sudden, he found himself caught in between wanting to avenge his tribemates and protecting his friends. He pleaded for Gon and Killua's lives, but Kuroro only agreed to let them go if he in turn joins the Geneiryodan.

He was taken aback with what Kuroro said, and even more so when he realized that his life was going to be spared. Without hesitation, he made the decision to accept the leader's offer, even if the mere thought of joining their group, which he really despised with every inch of his soul, literally tore him apart inside. The lives of his friends were at stake so he felt he really had no choice in the matter.

Kuroro also asked him to impose the judgement chain on himself. Kuroro then stated the conditions that he was to obey and stay with Kururo and the rest of the Ryodan at all times. He was also forbidden to attack a fellow member of the Spiders.

When Gon and Killua were released, and after he was assured that his friends were already out of harm's way, Kurapica tried to end his life, not by trying to attack Kuroro or any of the Spiders since doing so will set the judgement chains in motion. He refused to die by his own chains, so what he did was he materialized a small dagger. But before he could stab his own heart and relieve himself out of his misery, Kuroro was able to stop him just in time.

He was devastated when the leader prevented the dagger from piercing into his chest. But after he did a lot of thinking, he decided to abandon his plans of killing himself. After all, he swore that whatever happens, he would retrieve the eyes of his Kuruta tribe members. And even if it would mean becoming one of the Geneiryodan, as long as he would be able to achieve his goal, then so be it. His plans for revenge was then temporarily put on hold.

It has now been months since he became one of them, and even though he still regarded them as his enemies, he has managed to create a sort of civil relationship with the Geneiryodan members. There was a time when he couldn't avoid looking at them without his eyes turning red. But as time went by, he eventually was able to control himself. He can now actually hold a decent conversation with most of them, but Nobunaga was an exception.

He knew Nobunaga has been itching to kill him ever since he joined the Spiders. After all, he was the one who perpetuated the crime of killing his bestfriend. He was also sure that Nobunaga was appalled at the decision of their leader to include him into the group. It wasn't in Nobunaga's place to question Kuroro, but in that moment, he saw that Nobunaga almost did. He also knew that it took every ounce of Nobunaga's self-control not to lay a hand on him, since it was forbidden to do so. And whenever their eyes would meet, he could see that Nobunaga always had to curb down the impulse to pounce on him.

And since Nobunaga couldn't do him any bodily harm, he turned to the next best thing, which was to attack him verbally. Since then, the samurai would always try to taunt and provoke him whenever he gets the chance. As a result, more often that not, there would be a constant bickering between the two of them, and this served as a form of entertainment for the rest of the Genieryodan.

Kurapica let out a deep sigh and tried to think about something much more pleasant by turning his thoughts towards his friends.

_I wonder what Leorio, Gon and Killua are doing right now_? Kurapica wondered.

He was really glad that Kuroro was true to his word when he released the two. He was also relieved that so far his friends haven't made any attempts rescue him. After all, Kurapica did send them an assurance that he would eventually find a way out of this whole mess. He could only hope that he would be able to do so soon so he can once again join his friends. But for now, all he could do was take each day as it came. He knew that it was only inevitable that he would one day escape the clutches of the Geneiryodan, pick up where he left off and make the Spiders pay for what they did to his clan.

_I'm still going to make them pay no matter what_, Kurapica swore to himself. He was too busy with his thoughts that he didn't notice Kuroro was watching him.

In the meantime, the three female Ryodan members who were sitting together in comfortable silence around a massive oval table were fast becoming restless as the minutes flew by. Shizuku, a cute black-haired girl with eyeglasses was absent-mindedly twirling her finger around a lock of her hair. Seated beside her was Pakunoda ,who kept on crossing and uncrossing her long slender legs every few minutes or so. She was the eldest among them. She was a classy and attractive lady, but unfortunately for her, she was cursed with a nose that was a bit too big for her face. Sitting across from the table was Machi, an exceedingly pretty girl with blue hair and cold amber eyes that matched her icy cold expression.

"I'm bored," Machi finally muttered as she brushed off a couple of strands of hair that fell in front of eyes_. And judging from the expressions of these two, I'm sure they share the same sentiment, _she thought

"So am I, " Shizuku sighed in reply.

"Hmmm...what do you suggest we do then?" Pakunoda asked while drumming her long manicured fingernails on the table, as she looked from Machi to Shizuku.

"Why don't we go out," was Machi's abrupt reply.

"Where to?" Shizuku inquired.

"The Zone?" Machi suggested, referring to the famous nightclub in the city which the girls frequent whenever they are in town.

Nobunaga shrugged. "Why not? Didn't we had a good time the last time we went there?"

"Are you girls planning to get wasted again?" Feitan asked after overhearing the girls' conversation. The women turned to his direction after hearing his words. "I remember the last time you girls got drunk. You all made a fool of yourselves. It was actually quite fun to watch."

"You also look pretty stupid yourself when you get drunk," Machi scoffed. The girls shared knowing smirks when they remembered what a spectacle Feitan made when he arrived one time in their hideout drunk as hell. Feitan was just about to give a biting remark when Kuroro suddenly spoke.

"That's a good idea. Why don't you do that? You all did a good job today. You girls deserve to relax and unwind." Kuroro looked at the women and gave them a brief smile but then suddenly dropped a bomb that stunned all of the spiders into silence.

"But may I suggest that you also take Kurapica along with you."

As Kuroro looked at their reactions, he couldn't make up his mind on whose face looked the most shocked at what he said.

Kurapica, whose thoughts were suddenly interrupted when those words from the leader registered in his mind, suddenly turned his head sharply in Kuroro's direction with a surprised look on his face.

"Well, it's supposed to be just us girls...." Machi started to say when she finally found her voice after being stunned by Kuroro's suggestion.

"Unless you consider him to be a girl as well," Nobunaga barged in then laughed maliciously. He was, apparently, eavesdropping on their conversation, as did the other Spiders.

At Nobunaga's outburst, they all turned to look at Kurapica and saw his incredulous expression change into that of anger. His green eyes narrowed into slits as he glared at the samurai.

"Of course not Nobunaga. But I'm sure the girls certainly have no reason whatsoever to object to this, " Kuroro pointed out then glanced at the angry blonde. "And with Kurapica being uptight and edgy all the time, one could actually think that he's constipated or something. So we all know that he could really use some loosening up. And what better way to unwind than to be in the company of you girls?" Kuroro said straight-facedly.

Kurapica, who was already furious, became even more livid, as his eyes flashed with outrage and anger at the leader's lame joke that he might be suffering from bowel problems.

Nobunaga laughed even more harder. He suddenly dropped his sword and with his arms clutching his stomach, he fell and rolled to the floor, much to the amusement of the Geneiryodan members. Pakunoda, who was unmindful of the fact that the rest of them were having a good time at Kurapica's expense, simply stared at Kururo. She searched his face for some clues that might give her a hint of what he was thinking.

"And besides, this will give you girls a chance to get to know him better, " the head of Geneiryodan reasoned out.

This was partly true, but mostly, Kuroro just wanted to find out what would happen if Kurapica was left alone with the girls. He was just curious as to how the chain guy would handle himself. He sensed that Kurapica didn't have that much experience when it comes to girls. It was also quite noticeable that the blonde boy was a bit uncomfortable whenever he's around women. He felt he was really doing this kid a favor. He focused his attention then to Kurapica, and saw that the blond was pissed because of Nobunaga.

"It's about time that you do something else besides reading those thick books of yours. Live a little Kurapica. Go with them Who knows? You might enjoy despite yourself," Kuroro said.

_As if there's a chance in hell that I will enjoy the company of these murderers, _Kurapica thought angrily, as he tried to block out Nobunaga's laughter from his ears and struggled to control his temper.

During the past few months since he has become part of their group, he was only able to work with them through sheer force and determination. He chose to see this as some sort of a business arrangement between him and the Spiders. He allowed them to take advantage of his very unique and useful abilities, and he on the other hand used every opportunity that he could to retrieve the eyes of his clans. But beyond that, Kurapica simply kept to himself and conversed with the Spiders only when I was necessary. Frankly, he just doesn't see the point in allowing himself to create a much more personal relationship with them. And he just wasn't really interested in going out, much less with the members of the Geneiryodan.

Kurapica was already seventeen, and of course he was not by any means considered a child anymore. But because his mind was only focused on one thing, and that is to seek vengeance, he never really had the time nor the opportunity to improve his social skills, especially when it came to interacting with the opposite sex. He was consumed with so much hatred for the Spiders that he never really allowed himself to think about girls that much. And because of his limited experience with women, he found that he was a bit wary of the thought of being left alone with them. It was bad enough that he was being forced to go out.

_It's not that I'm afraid of them_, Kurapica thought defensively. _I just don't know how to relate to them that's all_. _And besides, there's really no point to any of this_. Maybe he still has a way out.

"I've already had this night planned out. I was supposed to read this book that-" Kurapica started to say when but he was interrupted by Kuroro.

"You can do that some other time. I order you to go with them."

Machi, Nobunaga and Shuzuki looked at each other, and they all wondered how their evening was going to fare out now that it seemed Kurapika doesn't have any other choice but to go with them.

_I guess I don't have any choice but to go_, Kurapica thought sullenly. He eyed the huge book that he placed on top of the windowsill, and felt a twinge of regret that he wouldn't be able to read it tonight.

"Ok, then it's decided. Kurapica, you go with Machi, Shuzuki, and Pakunoda. Oh and please don't do anything that will ruin their night. Just go along and do whatever they tell you," Kuroro advised.

"Can I come as well?" Hisoka suddenly drawled. He looked up from the tower of cards that he was building, and turned to grin mischievously at Machi. He was rewarded with a there's-no-way-in-hell-will-I-allow-you-to-go-with-us look, and he feigned a look of hurt on his face. "Well Dancho, I'm sure Kurapica can use some company. I wouldn't want him to feel left out," Hisoka reasoned out. He looked down and sneaked a peek at the chain guy to gauge his reaction, and he was amused to see the horrified look on the blonde's face.

_Tsk tsk...am I that repulsive to you, Kurapica_? Hisoka asked, directing the unspoken question to the Kuruta, as his shoulders shook with silent laughter.

"No Hisoka, just stay here," Kuroro instructed.

The orange-haired guy pouted when his suggestion was rejected. Hisoka saw Kurapica glaring up at him, and he smiled wickedly in return. He then turned away and went back to play with his cards.

_Whew! That was close_! Kurapica sighed in relief. The prospect of Hisoka tagging along was more than he could bear.

Pakunoda stood up from the table, straightened up her pencil-cut skirt, went towards the chain guy and said,"Ok Kurapica, let's change first and we'll leave after an hour ok?"

She waited for his reply, and finally after a few seconds passed, he gave her a terse nod in reply and proceeded to go up to his room to change his clothing. In one of the steps, he passed by Hisoka, who much to Kurapica's irritation, giggled profusely.

"Wear something nice will you? Don't go down here wearing that weird blue costume of yours if you don't want to be mistaken for a girl again," Machi called out mockingly to the blonde.

In answer to Machi's insult, Kurapica slammed the door of his room so hard that the whole building shook.

"It was just a suggestion," Machi said defensively to her companions and shrugged. " He's much too sensitive about it."

When the girls headed up to their respective rooms, the rest of the Geneiryodans went back to their businesses. Kuroro finally sat down on the sofa and smiled with satisfaction. _This is going to turn out into an interesting evening for both the girls and the chain guy....._


	2. The Transformation

Disclaimer : I do not own Hunter x Hunter or its characters

Author's Note: I would like to thank Lynlyn for granting me permission to write this sidefic(are you happy now Yukitsu? Hehe just kidding), which was inspired by her masterpiece, "Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken". My sincerest gratitude to you lyn. To the readers, I'm already giving out this warning: This is my first ever attempt to write a fan fic(I don't even consider myself as a writer, so I don't even know why I'm doing this in the first place). My writing pales in comparison to the other writers here who are far more competent and talented than me. I also would like to apologize for the somewhat corny and flimsy plot. I wanted to write something that has a much more complex plot, a story with a lot more depth, but unfortunately, my mediocre(well, maybe it's even below mediocre tsk tsk) writing skills got in the way. I know my limitations, so this was the best that I could come up with.

I tried my best though, so I hope you guys will still appreciate my valiant efforts. Sorry in advance for the wrong spellings, grammar errors and tense inconsistencies. Comments, suggestions, and criticisms (be gentle though ) are welcome. Oh and by the way I'm sorry for the late update. I've been busy lately, and to top that off, I suffered briefly from writer's block. ( excuses, excuses....)

Summary : Due to unexpected events, Kurapica has now become a member of the Geneiryodan, the group he despises with all his soul. What happens when he finds himself at the mercy of the female members of the Spiders? (It's mostly a Kurapica/Machi pairing, but don't worry, I didn't exactly exclude Kuroro and Hisoka from the scene either! The pairing may change as I go along in my story)

CHAPTER 2 : The Transformation

An hour later, the girls finally emerged from their respective rooms. As they drifted down the stairs, a couple of members of the Phantom Brigade looked up and gave them appreciative glances, but as for the rest of them, they simply ignored them out of plain indifference.

Shizuku, as usual was garbed in black, her signature color, but instead of the usual long-sleeved turtleneck shirt and pants, she was dressed in a simple off-the-shoulder dress that suited her nicely. Pakunoda on the other hand wore a blouse with spaghetti straps and a matching pencil-cut skirt that showed off her long and shapely legs, while Machi was dressed up in a white halter top and white pants that emphasized her curvy figure. Instead of the usual ponytail, her hair was loose, with the wavy ends of her blue hair tumbling down her bare shoulders.

Hisoka was still sitting on one of the steps when he glanced up and saw them coming down. Pakunoda and Shizuku managed to slip past him without so much as a comment or a look from him. Machi however, who was just a few steps behind, was not as lucky.

As she made her way through the stairs, she felt the jester's lustful eyes roam all over her figure. She tried her damnedest to look as if she was indifferent to Hisoka's stare, but she couldn't help but stiffen a bit. If she were just any other ordinary girl, she would have been intimidated or even frightened by the blatant and obscene stare of Hisoka. She boldly met his gaze and managed to maintain a perfectly expressionless face to disguise her feelings of uneasiness and repulsion, but her hands at her sides itched to smash Hisoka's face in.

She was just about to take another step down when Hisoka suddenly stretched out his long limbs and laid down on the steps. It was a deliberate and sly move on the jester's part to block her way down. He placed his well-muscled arms under the back of his head and looked up triumphantly at Machi, who was forced to stop in her tracks. She crossed her arms across her chest and looked down at him, her eyes narrowed with displeasure.

Hisoka smiled lazily and leered, "You look positively delectable, Machi. I could just eat you."

_Here we go again_, Machi sighed inwardly. She resisted the urge to roll up her eyes.

"You're blocking my way. Move," Machi said with impatience.

Machi's demands fell deaf to his ears. "You know, it's just too bad that you've always turned me down for a date. You really don't know what you've been missing," Hisoka drawled.

"Really," was the short dull reply.

Below, Kuroro, whose torso was leaning forward with his arms resting on each leg, sat on the sofa in the middle of the lobby in silence. He looked up and watched the small commotion with interest.

"Hmmm...how lucky for Kurapica he's going out with you ladies tonight. I'm absolutely envious of him," Hisoka sighed dramatically as he remained in his lying position.

The blue-haired girl continued to stare at him stonily.

"Move it Hisoka," Machi said in an irritated voice, but the orange-haired guy didn't budge an inch.

In a low voice, she slowly enunciated the words, "I said, move it."

"Make me," Hisoka suddenly challenged in a defiant tone.

They both knew a physical confrontation between the two of them was definitely out of the questionand Machi knew just how stubborn and hardheaded Hisoka was. She let out a frustrated sigh and then jumped over the surprised jester. She landed gracefully at the bottom of the stairs beside Shizuku and Pakunoda, who were both there watching the scene before them. Hisoka chuckled and then got up and went back to his original seating position.

"Stupid jerk," Machi muttered under her breath. She looked back and gave Hisoka one last icy glare. In return, he winked back mischievously.

"Don't let him get to you," Pakunoda whispered beside her. No matter how hard Machi tried to cover it up, it was obvious that she was a bit riled up over her encounter with Hisoka. Everybody knew that beside the fact that it had been happening even more often lately, the jester was also becoming even more and more aggressive in his pursuit of the blue-haired girl. It was clearly only a matter of time before Hisoka finally got on Machi's nerves.

As Shizuku looked at Machi, she suddenly felt relieved that she wasn't the one who was being hounded by the Hisoka.

"It is rather becoming a bothersome task to dodge his perverted advances," Machi admitted softly to Pakunoda. Shizuku went behind Machi and patted her awkwardly on the back in sympathy.

Machi then glanced around the room."Well? Aren't we going? Where's that chain ....?" Her voice trailed off when she finally spotted him leaning against the wall near the door, with his head bowed down. When she didn't finish her sentence, Pakunoda and Shizuku looked at her quizzically and they both followed her gaze.

Meanwhile, Kurapica, who was the object of their unabashed scrutiny, was staring at the floor with his face in a frown. He was still feeling a bit peeved on account of Nobunaga's teasing and deliberate insults regarding his "feminine" looks as well as on Machi's remarks on his tribal costume.

_I'll get my_ _hands on that samurai....and after I'm finished with him, we'll see if he can still afford to make a joke on my expense_, he thought bitterly.

It wasn't really his fault if some people were stupid enough to mistake him for a girl just because he was of more slighter build and with more breeding and manners than the usual average guy. It wasn't in him to care much about trivial things such as clothes and appearances, and he also knew that he shouldn't give a damn about what they think. He had far more important matters that were of concern to him. Lately however, it was starting to get to him. It was time to do something about it.

Thereupon he took Machi's suggestion into consideration and wore something different than his usual get-up. He unconsciously reached up for his hair, which was now a bit shorter thanks to his quick visit to the barber. It was a last minute decision on his part. He really didn't know what possessed him to get a haircut at this time, but he was glad that he did. From what he saw after the barber was finished with him, the cut suited him, and it made him look even less feminine and much more masculine.

Upon sensing that he was being watched, he looked up and saw the three girls staring at him from across the room. As he glanced at them, he noticed that they all looked great, especially the blue-haired one. She was indeed beautiful in an icy sort of way, so he really couldn't blame the demented Hisoka for always wanting to make a pass at her.

_Looking at them, one would never think that these women are members of the notorious Ryodan_, Kurapica mused. He raised his left eyebrow at Machi, as if to say I-hope-what-I'm-wearing-meets-your- approval.

Machi was able to administer a composed and unaffected look, but inwardly she was taken aback by what she saw. She stared at Kurapica in disbelief.

H_e cut his hair,_ a small voice whispered inside her head.

His shiny blond locks were now trimmed. His hair, which was tapered around the nape and above the ears, was brushed to one side, with a few fringes hanging over his forehead. The overall effect was devastating. His previous hair length made him look like a young schoolboy who was still struggling in his early teens, but because of the haircut, he now definitely looked much more older, mature and sophisticated. The earring was still there on his left ear, but a pair of black stylish slacks and a dark green long-sleeved shirt that made his beautiful eyes sparkle like emeralds replaced the awful blue costume.

Machi, as well as everybody else , was aware that Kurapica was beautiful, but it was because of that plus the girlish tribal costumes that made him look like a girl. But because of his transformation, he now certainly looked like a young man, and a terribly handsome one at that. She glanced at her companions, and from the expressions on their faces, she gathered that both of them were also stunned by Kurapica's surprisingly improved looks.

The leader of the Ryodan, who was still watching them, briefly smiled, as if amused by the girls' reactions to Kurapica.

_All that teasing finally prompted him to do something about his appearance,, and_ _he has certainly outdone himself_, Kuroro thought. He knew exactly what was going on inside their heads as they stared at the chain guy, since he was pretty sure that he also had that same floored expression on himself when he first saw Kurapica after he came in straight from the barbershop. He shifted his attention to the Kuruta, and once again he couldn't help but be overwhelmed with admiration.

Without taking his eyes off Kurapica, Kuroro spoke and addressed the samurai, who had just finished cleaning and polishing his sword. "Well Nobunaga, I don't suppose you're going to take back what you said awhile go, now that Kurapica clearly doesn't look like a girl anymore."

Nobunaga surprisingly said nothing and continued to scowl as he sulked in the corner.

_I can't see what's the big deal. So he cut his hair and changed his clothes. So what? He still looks like a girl to me_, Nobunaga thought stubbornly.

Machi blinked as she finally came out of her trance-like state. She turned to Pakunoda and Shizuku and gave them both a nudge with her elbow. That brought them out of their stupor.

"Uh...let's go then," Pakunoda said awkwardly. The trio then moved and headed out the door. When they walked past him, Kurapica straightened himself up and then went to follow them.

Together, they set out for the city. The foursome walked in silence as they passed by the other abandoned buildings beside their hideout. Pakunoda and Shizuku led the way, with Kurapica and Machi behind them.

With his hands on each sidepocket of his pants, Kurapica surveyed his surroundings. From afar, he could already see the outline of tall buildings and skyscrapers. He looked further up and saw that the moon was magnificently full, with thousands of shining bright stars scattered across the dark sky. As he inhaled the fresh air and felt the cool breeze on his cheek, Kurapica suddenly found himself being grateful that instead of being cooped up in their lair, he was out there, enjoying the night.

As Kurapica shuffled along the road, his thoughts went to the place that they were headed for. Until now, he still couldn't believe that their destination was actually a night club. It was hard to imagine that the Spiders also did regular things that regular folks do. He was also having a cumbersome time grasping the concept of them having a life outside of the Geneiryodan. He only thought of the them as thieves and killers.

It took them a few minutes to leave the outskirts before finally reaching York Shin itself. Once they set foot in the city, the busy and noisy atmosphere greeted them. The streets were filled with cars and the sidewalks flocked with people going in different directions. Kurapica heard Pakunoda start a conversation with Shizuku in front of them, but he didn't bother to listen to what they were discussing about. He glanced at Machi, who in turn ignored him and just kept on walking.

As Kurapica looked at her, his thoughts went to his previous observations that he made of her during the past few months. The girl by his side was a woman of few words, same as him He found out that they both had that in common. _But that's where our similarities end,_ Kurapica noted.

Unlike him, she was neither driven by her feelings nor dictated by her conscience, that is if she has them. She had no compunctions whatsoever on being both a killer and a thief. The rest of the Ryodan members were also just like her. They have already taken so many lives, including his tribemates whom they massacred mercilessly. They were slaughtered like cows just for the sole purpose of collecting their scarlet red eyes, and as a result, he was the only living survivor. Kurapica felt himself getting angry, so he struggled to curb down his temper. He concentrated in his efforts to will himself to relax.

Machi noticed that the Kuruta beside her suddenly stiffened. She felt his rage creeping up slowly to the surface, and she wondered what on earth triggered it. She knew the chain guy wouldn't possibly attack them, not unless of course if he wanted to end his life. She still eyed him warily, but to her relief, she saw that Kurapica had now almost managed to revert back to his calm state.

Kurapica felt the anger ebb slowly out of his system. As soon as the last trace of enmity left him, he took a deep breath and felt himself relax again.

A few moments passed, and against his better judgement, his stubborn thoughts once again strayed back to the Geneiryodan.

_I wonder what made them the way they are_, Kurapica thought.

He refused to believe that they were born evil. Life was not that simple. There were a lot of factors like circumstances and environment that could have probably been instrumental to the development of their diabolical characters. But still, it was not an excuse for them to just simply throw away their morals. It was their choice to ignore the humanity in them.

They have just turned a corner when he suddenly surprised himself by blurting out a question out of nowhere. "Why did you join the Geneiryodan?" he asked softly before he could stop himself.

Machi turned to him in surprise. She couldn't believe that the chain guy was actually starting a conversation with her.

"It's none of your business," was her curt reply, but then she paused and continued, to her own astonishment,"But, to answer your question, I really can't give you a concrete answer. It just kind of happened."

"I see." Kurapica pondered on her answer. He knew that it was quite uncharacteristic of him to bombard Machi with personal questions, but he nevertheless went ahead and continued to do so.

"But all the killings...didn't it bother you before? Surely at the beginning, you must have had some reservations."

"Nope," Machi responded tersely.

"There must have been a point in your life when you knew deep down inside that what you were doing was morally wrong," Kurapica reasoned out. _What's the use in trying to make her feel guilty? She probably_ _doesn't even know the meaning of the word_, he thought in irritation.

Machi didn't answer and continued walking.

"I suppose it is futile to try to reason with a cold-blooded Spider."

Machi jerked her head towards Kurapica. "You keep on forgetting that you're one of us now. And you have no right to judge me. I made the best possible choice for me, and you cannot convince me otherwise. I chose my path and I'm sticking with it,"she suddenly snapped.

Pakunoda and Shizuku, who have long ago ceased their conversation, listened to the heated discussion behind them.

Kurapica's temper flared up. "But why? It's a destructive path that only leads to even more destruction as you go along. Why must you insist on continuing with it? Why don't you admit to yourself that you made the wrong decision in joining the Spiders? And as for me being part of the Geneiryodan, your Dancho may have succeeded in forcing me to join your group, but I still will never consider myself a true Ryodan."

Machi however, refused to be baited and chose to ignore his words by remaining quiet. She realized that it was wise not to add more fuel to his anger.

Kurapica, on the other hand, berated himself for getting all riled up again.

_I should have never brought this subject up_, he thought stormily.

Nothing followed after that conversation, and the group once again walked in silence. It wasn't before long when they finally reached the club.

The Zone was a modern two-story building with a huge and elegant sign that was placed just above the entrance, where two huge and massive bouncers with bulging muscles were stationed. Kurapica noticed that the club seemed to be popular. He saw the long line of impatient-looking people outside who were all waiting for a chance to get in. One of the bouncers, who had dark skin and with what seemed like a permanent scowl on his face, saw them, and there was a tiny flicker of recognition on his face.

_These girls must be regular patrons of the club_, Kurapica concluded. Someone tapped him on the shoulder and when he looked up, he saw Pakunoda who stood beside him, with Shizuku close by.

" Shall we?" Pakunoda extended her hand and gestured for him to move forward.

He nodded and then moved closer to the entrance alongside with Machi. The bouncer acknowledged them with a curt nod, and then stood back to let them enter. Kurapica and Machi then advanced into the club, and Pakunoda and Shizuku followed suit.

End of Chapter

Author's Notes : I am aware that it's rather unlike them to go out clubbing or to go dress themselves up, but then, what the heck, I'd still like to think that they all have the same urge to go out and unwind as normal girls do. ( as if! they are _anything_ but normal. Tsk tsk .well...just call me plain stubborn and hardheaded then if you like...hehe) I hope you guys liked the idea of Kurapica having a new haircut.

Thanks to my reviewers:

To Mercury160, thanks for reviewing, and thanks for the compliments. I did try my best to make an interesting fic, and I'm glad you liked it. I really appreciate it!!

To Kaori-chan, thanks for dropping a line. I guess it's going to be more of a Kurapica/Machi oriented fic, but don't despair Kuroro/Kurapica fans, they would definitely have their own moments too in the next chapters.

To Night-Owl1123, sorry for the late update. Sorry to keep you waiting!

To Blitz Magnus, I'm glad you found it interesting! And don't you just love it when Nobunaga and Kurapica argue? As for Machi, hmmm...she's definitely going to do something in my next chapter to spice things up. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the review!

To Yukitsu, err... thanks for the constructive criticism. Now, I would be a liar if I told you I wasn't affected at all by your review(hmmm..and to think that you were already gentle with me). Don't you worry, I did take your suggestions into consideration. I'm too lazy though to make the necessary corrections in my first chapter, but I will once I have more time on my hands. And thanks for reminding me that I should indicate in my A/N that my story is a sidefic. And as for the summarized scenes that I took from Wild Hearts, well let's just say that it's only for the benefit of those who still haven't read lyn's fic. ( as if that's possible). As for term "flat cardboard characters", hehe that was really funny. I guess I would have to work on that, as well as my tenses. Oh, and the underworld website looks interesting.....

To Kuroro12, sorry also for the late update. And don't you worry, I'll be putting a bit of romance in the next succeeding chapters,(hmmm I don't even know how many chapters I'm planning to write) and I'll definitely not forget about Hisoka.

To Spider 9, hmm Sharnock with glasses, I bet he'll look cute. Maybe he and Shizuku would make a nice couple, don't you think?


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